Isolate patients with respiratory symptoms : Letter to Anil Jasinghe from a doctor

Health writer and social activist Dr Prasanna Cooray has requested the Director General of Health to separate patients with respiratory symptoms from other patients.

Prasanna Cooray requested the Director General of Health to issue directives to Healthcare Institutions and doctors on measures to be adopted in treating patients with Respiratory Infections.

He has made this request in a letter addressed to the Director General of Health Anil Jasinghe.

Dr. Anil Jasinghe,

Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health

Dear Dr. Jasinghe,

Issuance of Directives to Healthcare Institutions and Doctors on Measures to be Adopted in Treating Patients with Respiratory Infections

1.The Covid 19 epidemic spreading across the country has caused a lot of hardships to both patients and doctors (both in the public and private sectors) alike. As doctors have a prime obligation towards their patients in treating them, it is needless to say that the present epidemic had led doctors into a state of bafflement, with regard to their services towards the patients.

2.Considering the rationale for the stringent preventive measures adopted by the country today, it could be safe to assume that any patient with respiratory symptoms is a potential/ probable Covid 19 patient, unless proven otherwise (by testing negative).

3.In that case, any patient with respiratory symptoms in any healthcare facility could be considered a potential/ probable risk to the doctors as well as to the other patients in the vicinity.

4.In such case, I would be grateful if the Ministry of Health could issue directives, applicable both to the public and private sector healthcare facilities and doctors (and other healthcare staff) working in these facilities, as to the measures to be adopted with regard to dealing with patients with respiratory symptoms.

5.At the very basic level, this would mean segregation as to the patients with respiratory symptoms and others.

6.This segregation would be applicable to both out as well as in patients.

7.At the same time, I may suggest that whatever the measures adopted, they should cause least inconvenience to the patients.

This letter was written after discussing the issue with a number of senior doctors in the public and private sector.